# Ever heard of The National Society of High School Scholars?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-the-national-society-of-high-school-scholars/239885
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [April 14, 2004, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-the-national-society-of-high-school-scholars/239885 "2004-04-14T00:40:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2004, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-the-national-society-of-high-school-scholars/239885/1 "2004-04-14T00:40:52Z")
Are they gonna ask me to send them 500 dollars to get a name in a vanity book?
I’m so suspicious these days.
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-the-national-society-of-high-school-scholars/239885/2 "2004-04-14T00:42:47Z")
Here’s their website: [http://www.nshss.org/index.html](http://www.nshss.org/index.html)
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### Author:  [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-the-national-society-of-high-school-scholars/239885/3 "2004-04-14T01:02:31Z")
I think I got asked to join that one and rejected it as yet another vanity-book thing.
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### Author:  [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-the-national-society-of-high-school-scholars/239885/4 "2004-04-14T02:24:16Z")
I don’t get it. What’s in it for you? Why would anybody give them $500? Also, has there ever been a nerdier name for an organization?
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### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-the-national-society-of-high-school-scholars/239885/5 "2004-04-14T02:31:42Z")
Sounds similar to the **Who’s Who Among American High School Students**.
I was “chosen” to be in it, but couldn’t afford to buy a copy. A friend did and, guess what? I wasn’t in it.
[sarcasm on]
Imagine my surprise!
[sarcasm off]
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### Author:  [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2004, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-the-national-society-of-high-school-scholars/239885/6 "2004-04-14T03:40:53Z")
They haven’t asked for money yet. They sent a postcard to my daughter saying:
If you qualify nationally, you will receive your invitation packet in the next seven to ten days. . ."
That’s when I think they’ll hit her up for money, I think. I dunno for sure though.
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### Author:  [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2004, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-the-national-society-of-high-school-scholars/239885/7 "2004-04-14T05:25:58Z")
My daughter got one of those postcards, too. Seems a little iffy to me. I have a feeling there’s money involved somewhere. First one to find out can let everybody know, okay?
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### Author:  [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2004, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-the-national-society-of-high-school-scholars/239885/8 "2004-04-14T14:11:36Z")
From the [FAQ](http://www.nshss.org/faq.htm#why%20a%20fee) on their web page:
> [@](#):
>
> **Why is there a $45 fee and what if I can’t afford it?**
> Like most membership organizations, a fee is charged to help cover the organizational costs of fulfilling the mission of the organization. It is truly an honor to be recognized with a nomination, a congratulatory letter from Mr. Nobel, and an invitation to join. For those students who elect to join, the fee is one-time only. There are no annual dues or renewals, ever. The fee defers the cost of member benefits including:
>
> Peer networking
> Publications and member-only web content
> Free member events
> Dedicated member-services staff and volunteers to assist students
> Member communications
> Service and leadership opportunities
> Exclusive scholarship opportunities and academic competitions
> Personalized membership certificate designed by Jostens
> Personalized press release for distribution to local media
> Unique offerings through our partnerships (Habitat for Humanity, People to People, Projects Abroad, Presidential Classroom, EF Foundation for Foreign Study, Boy Scouts of America)
> NSHSS has never turned down a student based on their inability to pay. Full or partial fee waivers are available for families with a true financial hardship. To request a fee waiver, respond to the invitation with your complete information as normal and include a letter signed by a parent or guardian that details the request for a fee waiver based on financial hardship.
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### Author:  [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-the-national-society-of-high-school-scholars/239885/9 "2004-04-14T16:29:29Z")
After skimming the website, it seems to me that they don’t offer much. There’s bragging rights, being a member of an organization that no one’s heard of. There are (self-promoting?) events that no one cares about. There are service and leadership opportunities that are readily available without the orgagnization. There’s a genuine certificate and decoder ring (okay, just the certificate). The only tangible benefit is the possibility of a modest scholarship, and there seem to be precious few of those.
It rings my horsecrap alarms. I don’t see the point.
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### Author:  [@cards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cards)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2004, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-heard-of-the-national-society-of-high-school-scholars/239885/10 "2004-04-14T20:28:14Z")
One of my college roommates signed up for Who’s Who and gave himself the title of president of Lamda Sigma Delta. 😃